If you are producing an independent film in the United States, the SAG-AFTRA agreement you use can change more than the cast line on your top sheet. It can affect performer minimums, pension and health contributions, background requirements, scheduling exposure, paperwork, and the documents you need before performers can start work.
This guide summarizes the low-budget theatrical landscape as of August 2026 and shows how to translate those rules into a usable production budget. Always confirm the current agreement and rate sheet directly with SAG-AFTRA before locking payroll or signing performers.
2026 SAG-AFTRA Low-Budget Agreement Overview
SAG-AFTRA’s March 2026 low-budget contracts overview lists the following principal budget caps for U.S.-based low-budget entertainment projects:
| Agreement | Budget cap | Producer takeaway |
|---|---|---|
| Micro-Budget Project | $20,000 | Streamlined option for very small single or episodic projects; compensation terms are negotiable under the Micro agreement. |
| Ultra Low Budget Project (UPA) | $300,000 | Common entry point for U.S. independent features with a professional cast and a tightly controlled production plan. |
| Moderate Low Budget Project (MPA) | under $700,000 | For larger indie features that have outgrown UPA assumptions but remain below the low-budget theatrical ceiling. |
| Low Budget Theatrical (LBA) | under $2,000,000 | Covers more substantial theatrical productions; SAG-AFTRA also lists casting incentives that can increase the qualifying budget threshold in some cases. |
SAG-AFTRA’s low-budget overview states that these low-budget entertainment contracts must be filmed or recorded entirely in the United States. The exact agreement is therefore a production-location decision as well as a budget decision.
What Is the 2026 Ultra Low Budget Performer Rate?
The current Ultra Low Budget Project Agreement rate sheet, effective July 1, 2026, lists a $257 minimum for a day performer. SAG-AFTRA states that the UPA professional-performer minimum is 20% of the current Basic Agreement day rate. The same sheet schedules the performer pension and health contribution rate at 22% effective September 6, 2026.
Budgeting note: Do not apply the $257 figure to every low-budget project. It is the UPA day-performer minimum shown on the 2026 UPA rate sheet. MPA, LBA, stunt, background and other classifications can follow different rates and rules. Always use the current official sheet for the agreement that actually applies to your production.
That distinction matters because producers often search for a single “SAG day rate” and then place it across the cast account. A professional budget should instead map the appropriate performer classification, number of work days, applicable fringes and schedule assumptions before calculating the total cast cost.
Why Your SAG Agreement Changes the Film Budget
A union-aware film budget is not simply a wage table. The agreement interacts with the schedule, cast plan and production logistics. A screenplay with many speaking roles, night work, company moves or travel can create a very different cast-cost profile from a contained feature with the same topline production budget.
That is why FilmDrafts builds the budget from the production plan rather than treating cast rates as isolated numbers. A script breakdown and shooting schedule identify who works, where they work and how many days the production actually needs before those assumptions flow into a detailed film budget.
Costs producers commonly miss
- Pension and Health: Employer contributions can materially increase the true performer cost above the headline minimum.
- Overtime and schedule exposure: An unrealistic day can turn an apparently affordable cast plan into an expensive one.
- Travel and accommodation: Bringing performers to location adds transportation, lodging and per-diem assumptions.
- Rehearsals, table reads and fittings: Pre-shoot performer time needs to be considered before the schedule is locked.
- Stunts: SAG-AFTRA’s low-budget overview notes that where stunts are present, a stunt coordinator is required at Theatrical Basic Agreement rates.
- Background performers: Coverage requirements differ by agreement and production zone, so do not assume one background rule applies across every tier.
Example: A $250,000 U.S. Feature
A $250,000 feature shooting entirely in the United States falls below the published $300,000 UPA cap, so the Ultra Low Budget Project Agreement may be the first agreement a producer investigates. That does not mean the cast account is simply “number of actors × $257 × shoot days.”
The producer still needs a day-out-of-days, realistic work-day assumptions, performer classifications, applicable contribution rates, travel or lodging where relevant, and contingency for schedule changes. SAG-AFTRA itself asks low-budget applicants for materials that include the shooting script, day-out-of-days and line-item budget, which is a good illustration of how closely casting, scheduling and budgeting are connected.
Example: A $500,000 Feature
A $500,000 U.S. feature is above the UPA ceiling but below the published $700,000 Moderate Low Budget cap. The MPA becomes the more relevant agreement to review. At this scale, forcing UPA assumptions into the budget would create a structurally wrong model even if the spreadsheet arithmetic looked correct.
This is where early budgeting can prevent a financing problem. If the real script and schedule push the production into a different agreement tier, the producer needs to know before presenting the project to investors, negotiating cast or promising a production total that cannot be maintained.
Example: A $1.2 Million Feature
A $1.2 million U.S. theatrical feature sits under the standard $2 million Low Budget Theatrical cap. SAG-AFTRA also publishes a Diversity-in-Casting Incentive for qualifying LBA productions that can increase the production-cost maximum to $3 million. Producers considering an incentive should confirm eligibility directly with SAG-AFTRA rather than assuming the higher threshold applies automatically.
When Should You Start the SAG-AFTRA Signatory Process?
SAG-AFTRA recommends submitting the signatory application no less than four to six weeks before the first date of work, including travel, rehearsal and principal photography. Late submission can delay clearance.
For low-budget producers, this means the union process should not wait until the final week before the shoot. The company structure, cast plan, script, day-out-of-days and line-item budget should be moving together during pre-production.
How This Should Flow Into Movie Magic Budgeting
In a professional Movie Magic budget, SAG-related assumptions should be traceable. The cast account should connect to the schedule, fringe calculations should be visible, and the top sheet should reflect the real agreement level rather than an arbitrary wage estimate.
FilmDrafts applies that workflow across breakdown, scheduling and budgeting engagements. For an example of how production requirements are translated into a workable schedule and budget, see the action-drama feature budgeting case study.
Producer Checklist Before Locking a SAG-AFTRA Budget
- Confirm the production budget and whether the shoot is entirely in the United States.
- Identify the agreement tier that appears to fit the project.
- Download the current official SAG-AFTRA agreement and rate sheet.
- Build a cast day-out-of-days from the shooting schedule.
- Apply the correct performer classifications and current contribution rates.
- Account for travel, fittings, rehearsals, overtime exposure, stunts and background coverage where applicable.
- Submit the signatory application early enough for SAG-AFTRA review and production clearance.
Official SAG-AFTRA Sources
Because union terms and rates can change, producers should verify current information at the source before locking a production budget:
- SAG-AFTRA Micro-Budget Project Agreement
- SAG-AFTRA Ultra Low Budget Project
- Current Ultra Low Budget Rate Sheet
- SAG-AFTRA Moderate Low Budget Project
- SAG-AFTRA Low Budget Theatrical
FAQ
What is the SAG-AFTRA Ultra Low Budget limit in 2026?
SAG-AFTRA states that the Ultra Low Budget Project Agreement applies to films shooting entirely in the United States with a maximum budget of $300,000.
What is the 2026 Ultra Low Budget performer minimum?
The 2026 UPA rate sheet lists a $257 day-performer minimum effective July 1, 2026. Always check the current official rate sheet before finalizing payroll assumptions.
How early should a producer apply to SAG-AFTRA?
SAG-AFTRA recommends applying no less than four to six weeks before the first date of work, including travel, rehearsal or principal photography.
Does the performer day rate equal the total cast cost?
No. The complete budget may also need pension and health contributions, overtime exposure, travel, rehearsals or fittings, stunt requirements and other agreement-specific costs.
Final Takeaway
The right SAG-AFTRA agreement is part of the production model, not a number to paste into a spreadsheet after the schedule is finished. Confirm the tier early, work from the current official rate sheet, and connect performer costs to the actual breakdown and shooting plan.
If you need a production-ready breakdown, schedule and Movie Magic budget built around your screenplay, see FilmDrafts’ Film Budget service.